Plant Care Mother-in-Law Tongue

     

Care of Mother-In-Law Tongue Plant
House Plants & Flowers

If you like easy care house plants, the Mother-in-Law Tongue is the house plant for you. Known as Sansevieria or Snake Plant, this is a great plant for a medium to high light location and Mother-in-Law Tongue plant will do well with minimal care and attention. While this is an easy care plant, there really is no such things as indestructible or impossible to kill indoor plants! If that is what you want, you should buy an artificial house plant or flower!

Indoor House Plants | Mother in Law Tongue Plant Care

Mother-in-Law Tongue can be found in different sizes and colors. Some are shorter, with a rosette type of growth such as the Sansevieria 'Hahnii'. Sansevieria 'Superba' is somewhat larger but with wider leaves than the taller varieties. The Sanseveria Laurentii is the most common variety, with a broad, yellow edge on the thick, sword shaped leaves. The center of the leaf is cross-banded with pale markings.

Sansevieria can be found with pale silver-green foliage as with Sansevieria 'Moonshine'. The 'Black Gold' has a dark leaf center, almost black, with a gold leaf edge. The Sansevieria 'Zeylanica' is more of a light silver-green with darker cross bands or mottling of the leaf.

With the different growth types and unusual and beautiful colorations, the Mother-in-Laws Tongue has something for everyone who enjoys indoor tropical plants. And they are easy care, too! As I said, keep them pot bound, don't over water and place them in adequate light and they should be relatively trouble free.

Mother-in-Law Tongue Plant Care
How to Water

Mother-in-Laws Tongue has rhizomes that store water, so stay more to the dry side with this plant. In low to medium light, allow potting media to dry down completely in between watering. In higher lighting, allow to dry down at least 3/4 of the pot depth. Please see pages on watering indoor plants and lighting for your plants best health.

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It is often difficult to judge if a Mother-In-Laws Tongue needs to be watered so it is helpful to use a soil probe. This aids you in checking the soil at the bottom areas of the plant's root mass to check for moisture. A soil probe or moisture meter can be very useful in helping you avoid over or under watering of your indoor house plants. I use one often in my indoor plant care accounts.

While you may be able to keep a Mother-In-Law Tongue house plant that is in high-light slightly more moist, in low light this can cause problems. Always err on the side of less water with this indoor plant.

Plants Flowers & Pets

Over the years, I have had many animals and plants in the same house and have not had too many problems. I always make my best effort to keep houseplants out of the reach of pets. That can be difficult, especially with cats, as they seem to be able to get just about anywhere they please! Being an animal lover, as many people are, I thought it would be helpful to add a link for those with questions about pets and houseplants, as I have received a few emails with questions on the subject. Do not allow pets to eat your indoor houseplants or your outdoor plants. Questions about plants and pet safety?

This is a link to the ASPCA, Animal Poison Control, Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants list.



Also, be careful when you do water your Mother-in-Laws Tongue that you do not pour the water in the leaf rosette as it may cause them to rot. Water the soil only and use room temperature water.

Mother-in-Law Tongue Plant
Other Care Tips

Mother-in-Law Tongue is a durable plant and high light is best to keep this plant full, healthy and growing well. It will survive in lower light provided it is allowed to dry. Temperature should to be kept above 50°F. Mother in Law Tongue is not a good plant to put in an area that gets very cold temperatures.

Over time, when Mother-In-Law Tongue plant is grown in lower light, it will most likely begin to thin out. As leaves begin to die, cut them back to soil level. If they get so thin and tall that they begin to fall over, it is best to cut the leaves back to the soil level, also. Providing the best light possible will help keep your Mother-In-Law Tongue plant as full as possible.

There are a few things to watch for with Mother-in-Law Tongue. They are prone to scale and mealybugs and if you notice these pests they should be wiped off immediately with a cloth or cotton dipped in rubbing alcohol.


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While it is usual to see Mother In Law Tongue plant at a height of about 2-3 feet tall, I have seen them grow to over 5 feet tall. This was a Mother-in-Laws Tongue plant potted in a 14" diameter grow pot in a very good light situation. It is unusual to see them that large indoors but it can happen with excellent lighting and care.

Mother-In-Law Tongue has upright growth and a shallow root system and is best kept somewhat pot bound. It has thick rhizomes that store water for a long time.

When the plant does become root bound you can remove it from the grow pot and divide the plant to make smaller individual plants. Make sure when you do divide your Mother-in-Laws Tongue, that you plant the smaller plants into pots that fit them. Remember, Mother-in-Laws Tongue is better pot bound. You can often place a cut leaf into moist sand or rooting media and get it to root and start a new plant that way. Have fun with your Mother-in-Laws Tongue.

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Houseplant Care Question?

Questions about your indoor house plants or plant care problems? You can send a house plant question, free of charge, no sign ups, registration or log in required!

Before you send a houseplant care question, please be sure to read this information on watering your indoor house plants, how to help keep your your indoor house plants root system healthy and lighting for your indoor house plants and flowers. These are most important for the health of your house plants and this is some of the information I will refer you to if you send an indoor house plant or flower care question.

You can post comments, find answers to plant care questions, or share some of your own plant wisdom on our plant care Facebook Page, Twitter page or visit my plant care blog. You can also find plant pictures, gardening ideas, and more at our plant and flower Pinterest page.

Thanks for visiting and come back soon as houseplant care information, pictures and more are being added all of the time. I hope that your indoor tropical house plants and all of your plants and flowers are happy, green and growing because that is why I started this indoor house plant and flower care website, PlantAndFlowerInfo.com.


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